I work full time as a range safety officer and firearms safety educator, so I preface my review of this class noting that personal prejudice.
The instructor is young, personable, friendly and he makes the class as enjoyable as it could be. But he also needs to sharpen his blade when it comes to safety and good practices. The classes I teach at my job are attended by firearms beginners (usually), so the first thing I harp on is safe muzzle direction at all times. This instructor hits upon the 3 NRA safe handling rules, but then lets the students handle his selection of carry-guns and says nothing when the students point them any which direction but safe. Essentially, these firearms are to be respected until they go into a classroom?
A classroom environment OKs a dry-fire trigger pull in order to allow students the chance to try their options, but under no circumstances should anyone point a firearm at another person they don't intend to shoot, period. If CC instructors typically allow this in their classes, as this one did, then perhaps we really should throw out mandatory training for CC permits as Kansas is proposing to do, because if this is what is being taught, then requiring no training and hoping for the best is just as good.
This class is expensive, on the top end of your local KC area options. The instructor through Bass Pro in Independence does them for $70, this one for $120, so compare your prices. I personally know of some instructors that do them through their church groups free of charge. Remember that CC training is truly measured in only one way: price. I've never heard of anyone taking the course and treasuring the quality of training.
He covered the current statutes on CC decently and the classroom environment he provided was top notch. The classroom is excellent and has comfortable chairs. You will qualify at Crossfire in east Independence with a Walther P22 (.22 LR). He will have you qualify with that gun, not yours; he wants everyone to shoot the same gun, a policy I completely understand. I'm sure some students would otherwise try qualifying with their .44 magnum hand cannons and make complete asses of themselves when they can't make a point blank hit. If you've never shot a pistol in your life before your CC class, your chances of qualifying with his gun under either Kansas or Missouri requirements are better than good.
Truly, this "hoop" was pleasant to jump through. I honestly liked the guy and the way he taught the class. But I give the instructor part of him 2 stars because he didn't show any teeth when it came to how his students were handling his guns inside the classroom. Safe muzzle direction is something that has to be established, end of story. People that don't jump on board with that should not have guns, much less permits to carry them. I also didn't see where the $120 went. I'll take a metal, folding chair for 8 hours if it saves me $50. There are also bullet holes in the partitions between booths at the range where I work because people don't practice what we teach them. "Safe muzzle direction" is important, so teach it - and enforce it. We do. And so should your CC instructor.
Google rates this instructor's class almost flawlessly because of how pleasant he is and how fast the 8 hours go by in the classroom he puts you in. Take it from me, just pay a lot less with any other jackass teaching out of a warehouse. Practice a lot with your defense gun at any local range, always follow the safety rules and carry safely. read more
